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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 00-08-08
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Service Presse et Communicationb
08/08/2000
CONTENTS / CONTENU
[01] Commission initiates proceedings against Deutsche Post AG for abuse of
a dominant position
[02] Statement by Poul Nielson and Chris Patten on the management of EU
external assistance programmes
[03] La Commission adresse un avis motivé à l'Italie sur la fixation des
émoluments des agents en douane
[01] Commission initiates proceedings against Deutsche Post AG for abuse of
a dominant position
In response to a number of complaints, and a judgment in the Court of First
Instance finding that the European Commission had wrongly failed to act in
the matter, the Commission has initiated formal proceedings against the
German postal operator Deutsche Post AG for abuse of its dominant position.
These proceedings are concerned in the first place with Deutsche Post's
pricing of parcel delivery services for mail-order business. The
Commission's preliminary enquiries suggest that Deutsche Post allows large
mail-order traders substantial discounts if they undertake to send all
their parcels through Deutsche Post. They also suggest that Deutsche Post
does not come anywhere near covering the costs of its mail-order parcel
services. This means that no private provider of parcel services to mail-
order firms has been able to achieve any firm foothold in Germany. The
proceedings likewise question the postage charged by Deutsche Post for the
letters it delivers under its monopoly rights. At this stage the Commission
is asking Deutsche Post to explain why it is that even taking account of
quality of service and density of population German customers pay the
highest postage in Europe.
[02] Statement by Poul Nielson and Chris Patten on the management of EU
external assistance programmes
The European Union is the world's largest donor of international
assistance. With an annual budget of about euro 9.6 billion, this includes
both traditional development assistance and other external objectives like
reconstruction in the Balkans, promoting free trade in the Mediterranean
region and the transformation of the economies of the former Soviet Union.
While our projects in these areas can benefit poor people, that is not
always the primary aim. It is not always helpful to discuss, for example,
repairing war damage in Kosovo in the same terms as action to meet the
needs of poor communities in Africa. Nor should it be confused with the
rapid and effective delivery of emergency humanitarian aid by ECHO (the
European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office).
[03] La Commission adresse un avis motivé à l'Italie sur la fixation des
émoluments des agents en douane
La Commission européenne a décidé d'envoyer un avis motivé à l'Italie pour
non-respect des règles de la concurrence concernant les émoluments des
agents en douane en dépit d'un arrêt de la Cour de Justice européenne.
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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